Excessive or deficient myofibroblast activity is associated with many diseases and biological and medical processes. Such diseases include those shown in Table 1*.
Tissue or OrganActivation/ProliferationDeletion or DamageSkinScleroderma; keloid; Dupuytren'sGranulation tissuecontracture (72, 213, 224);psoriasis (63)PericyteAtherosclerosis and restenosisMicroancurysms,(149, 159); hypertension (208)edema, andhemorrhage(26, 239)MouthPeriodontal disease (136, 214)Periodontal ligamentGingival hypertrophy secondaryGingival myofibroblaststo drugs (cyclosporine andDilantin)(135, 136, 212, 214, 216)EyeExophthalmos (proptosis) ofDiabeticOrbital fibroblastGrave's disease (9, 221, 254)microaneurysmRetinal myofibroblastProliferative vitreoretinopathy(26, 142, 239)Anterior capsule(253) Anterior capsular cataractof lens Corneal(172, 217) Corneal scarring (184)myofibroblastHeart andMyocardial fibrosis,pericardiumatherosclerosis, and coronaryartery restenosis (35, 149, 159, 258)KidneyProliferative and sclerosingAbsence ofMesangial cellglomerulonephritis (108, 184, 239)glomerularInterstitial cellRenal tubulointerstitial fibrosisstructure(171, 177, 198, 239)(141, 234)LiverFibrosis and cirrhosis (72, 88, 150)PerisinusoidalIschemia reperfusion injury ofstellate (Ito cell)hepatic transplantation (206)Necrotizing hepatitis (62)PancreasPancreatic fibrosis (4, 8)Periacinal stellate cellLungPulmonary interstitial fibrosis,Emphysema (25)Interstitial contractileidiopathic and drug-induced;cellsarcoidosis (105, 209, 214)Stomach and intestineCollagenous colitis; villousAbnormal intestinalInterstitial cellatrophy and crypt hyperplasia:motility;of Cajal Subepithelialfibrosis of Crohn's diseasehypertrophicmyofibroblast(2, 86, 114, 131, 153) Healingpyloric stenosis;gastric ulcerHirschsprung'sdisease; megacolonof piebaldism;idiopathic pseudo-obstruction(33, 52, 115, 183,212, 243, 248, 249)BrainProduce glial scar tissue (166)Human immunodeficiencyAstrocytevirus-associatedcognitive motordisease; spongiformencephalopathy (166)BreastFibrocystic disease; desmoplasticStromal myofibroblastreaction to breast cancer(73, 214)Bone marrowFibrosis in myelodysplasia andAplastic anemiaStromalneoplastic diseases (182, 218)(182, 218)myofibroblastJointRheumatoid pannus formation (11)Synoviocyte*See Table 5 of Powell, et al., Myofibroblasts. I. Paracrine cells important in health and disease, Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Jul. 1, 1999 vol. 277 no. 1 C1-C19, references shown in this table refers to the articles cited in Powell, et al.
Thus far, there are no effective ways of treating or ameliorating many of the conditions associated with excessive or deficient myofibroblast activities.
Therefore, there is a need for methods and compositions for modulating myofibroblast activity.
The embodiments below address the above identified issues and needs.                myofibroblast activities and use thereof.        